


A Different Kind of Team Building

by ashtraythief



Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, M/M, Misunderstandings, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED, slightly nsfw art included in fic, warnings for Chad being Chad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:54:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24683401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ashtraythief/pseuds/ashtraythief
Summary: Jensen is a facts and graphs kind of guy; he never should have started working at a hipster California startup. His boss is insane, everybody’s wearing beanies, and Jared, the tall and cute head creative designer, thinks Jensen is too stuck up to work at One Tree Solutions. And now they’re going on a company retreat. But when the sleeping arrangements don’t work out as planned, Jensen realizes that maybe he didn’t have all the facts after all.
Relationships: Jensen Ackles/Jared Padalecki
Comments: 97
Kudos: 452
Collections: Where Every Birthday is Bangin'





	A Different Kind of Team Building

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dugindeep (hotsauce)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hotsauce/gifts).



> Written for the wonderful’s iwinsoiwin’s birthday. Amy, you’re one of the best people in this fandom, for this fandom, and you deserve all the love. I hope my humble birthday offering will bring you some joy. If nothing else, enjoy the tum. ;)  
> Graciously, the absolutely amazing a_biting_smile has made the banner for this fic and also illustrated a scene from this fic as a birthday presents for Amy as well. It’s stunning and so very, very hot, so beware, it’s slightly nsfw ;) You can leave her some love [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24684061)!
> 
> Many, many thanks to gluedwithgold for help and feedback and to ilikaicalie and msja_17 for through betawork. All remaining mistakes are here to hold up my typo-prone reputation.

_Company retreat!!!_

Jensen stares at the email’s subject line. Surely this is a joke. A prank. Especially with three exclamation marks. He’ll open the email and see a “ha ha, we don’t need that, we’re already great.”

It still takes him another thirty seconds staring at the email with dread before he actually manages to click on it.

It’s not a joke.

 _Company Retreat_ is repeated at the top of the email. In _comic sans_. This is supposed to be a hip, top-notch startup and their CEO uses comic sans in internal emails. Jensen wants to headdesk. Instead, he forces himself to read the rest of the email, mercifully in Arial.

To reward everyone for their hard work, the entire company will go on a long weekend retreat, all expenses paid. They’ll relax, they’ll bond, and, most importantly, have fun. As CEO, Chad Michael Murray will make sure of the last point personally.

Jensen closes his eyes and sinks back into his chair. He knew he shouldn’t have started working for a California startup that’s run by a recent college grad out of a repurposed old firehouse. They’d even kept the sliding pole. For _fun_. After the second bruised ankle, they’d put a couple of mats around it.

They have cupcake Mondays and bagel Tuesdays, a fruit and candy bar (and okay, the fresh fruit is actually awesome, Jensen’s a sucker for peaches), and the dress code is non-existent which leads to some truly horrifying sights. Jensen has never seen so many skinny jeans exposing entire knees in his life. Pets are welcome in the office, and the giant aquarium in the break area is actually soothing. It’s constructive for the work climate that everyone can be themselves, but sometimes it’s just too much. Especially for someone like Jensen, who has introvert tendencies, likes his peace and quiet, and needs a calm and organized workspace. Even though his own desk is immaculate, there are so many colors and patterns going on in the office, it can get overwhelming. They don’t have dividers for their desks—“the cubicle is the death of creativity,” Jared had announced when Jensen brought it up once—and Jensen would have quit if a divider hadn’t appeared on his desk. It’s light blue on the inside and lightly patterned, a calming shield against the color and movement overload from the rest of the office. The outside was decorated by everyone sitting around him and Jensen even put a plant on top of it. It’s a solution that serves everyone. So yeah, okay, maybe the company isn’t all bad and they’re actually really good about making sure everyone has a good work environment, but some days, Jensen still feels like he’s working in a zoo, not an office. And the work environment isn’t the worst part anyway.

If the pay weren’t so good and the job wasn’t actually perfect, Jensen would probably have quit months ago. Because he’s working for the worst cliché of a hipster California startup—insane, greeting everyone with ‘dude’, flip-flops in the office wearing CEO included.

He takes another look at the email and catches a p.s. _Pack a warm coat and boots because we are heading out to Yosemite!!!_ Well, at least they are going somewhere nice.

Jensen straightens up in his chair and across the open office catches sight of broad shoulders and a mop of brown hair. Right. His insane boss isn’t actually the worst part of his job. The worst part of his job—

“Man, Jared’s looking good today,” Danneel says next to him, wheeling her rolling chair closer. “That boy should wear v-necks more often.”

Jensen pinches the bridge of his nose. He refuses to debate what kind of clothing Jared should or should not wear. That’s really not a path he should go down. In every sense of the phrase.

Danny raises a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “Seriously, how does Jared not do it for you? I know for a fact you like them tall and cute!”

Jensen sighs. So yeah, he might have a thing for tall guys with a cute smile, and he’s an absolute sucker for dimples. He doesn’t even mind Jared’s long hair, though he does mind that Jared runs his hand through it frequently, messing it up, shiny wavy strands falling this way and that and his big hands—Jensen’s life is much easier when Jared wears one of his many beanies.

“A-ha!” Danny pokes him in the side. “I knew it.”

“Keep your fucking voice down,” Jensen hisses. “No one needs to know that! I don’t even like him. He just happens to be my type, aesthetically speaking. In a very generic, tall and cute guy kind of way, okay? Lots of guys are my type.”

“Yeah, but Jared is special. I’ve seen you watching,” Danny says with a gleeful smile.

Jensen glares at her. “Really? You want to go there?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Okay, let’s talk about _special_. Let’s talk about our very special boss and how you guys keep flirting behind the aquarium when you think no one’s looking.”

Danny’s mouth falls open, then she snaps it close again. “We’re not—we haven’t—”

Now it’s Jensen’s turn to raise an eyebrow.

“Ugh, fine.” Danny glares at him. “So maybe we’ve been flirting a tiny bit. It’s not like we’re going to do anything before I go back to school in the fall and he’s not my boss anymore. Now you on the other hand…”

“Will continue to work here, so it’s a moot point anyway,” Jensen says, trying for finality.

“There’s no actual rule against dating in the workplace and you and Jared are on the same level. So.”

“Apart from the fact that dating in the workplace is just dumb, there’s no way this is going to work.”

Danny opens her mouth to protest.

“He’s not interested in me and I’m not interested in him, so there.”

Danny glares at him, then throws her hands up. “Fine.” She swivels her chair around and slides back over to her desk. “Fine, have it your way.”

Jensen turns back to his work, but he can’t stop himself from chancing a look across the office. Jared is gone. Good. Jensen isn’t—

“Pissed off Danny?” A familiar voice next to Jensen makes him jump.

“Fuck, Jared.” Jensen looks up—and up and up—to look at Jared’s face and not at his crotch that he’s almost eye-level with—and glares at Jared.

Jared has the decency to look a little sheepish. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Well, what did you mean to do then?” Jensen asks, and his annoyance at himself and the whole conversation with Danny makes it come out way grumpier than he intended.

Jared’s face closes off. “Tahmoh found a new potential client that’s looking for someone to restructure their internal platform. Chad wants you, Felicia, and me to come up with an initial pitch.”

Jensen’s eyebrows shoot up. “I’d be happy to manage the proposal once you guys have a plan, but since when do you want me in the initial concept development?”

Jared makes a face. “It’s an old, traditional company, still led by their seventy-six-year old founder. We need someone who actually knows how to wear a suit and tie from the beginning.”

Jensen snorts. He doubts Jared even knows how to tie a proper tie knot and he’s never seen Felicia in anything but novelty t-shirts.

“You just need to go easy on the neon,” Jensen says but gets up anyway. The rest of his work can wait a few hours.

Jared beams at him, popping both dimples. “See, this is why we need you.” Then he herds Jensen towards the conference room. “Also, you know, Chad said so, so…”

“Of course.” Jared and Chad might be good friends, but Chad is still the boss and even though he’s goofing around most hours of the day, either racing hot wheels in his office or getting horrifyingly experimental with the smoothie maker, occasionally he does make decisions. Jensen isn’t sure how exactly he managed to build his company like that, but it is worth several million dollars, so he must have done something right.

Jensen follows Jared into one of the team rooms. They pass the fruit bar on the way and Jensen picks up one of the peaches.

He eats it while they wait for Felicia to come in and Jared’s expression is pained.

“What?” Jensen asks, and carefully holds the peach so the juices won’t drip on the table. He really needs a napkin.

Jared clears his throat. “Nothing. Just not a fan of peaches.”

Jensen shakes his head. “There’s something wrong with you.”

“Yeah,” Jared mutters darkly.

Before Jensen can ask what peaches did to Jared to warrant such disdain, Felicia comes in with Tahmoh. Tahmoh has all the info on the company and what they will be looking for. It’s not official yet, but Tahmoh has his ways, and like this, they can get a leg up over potential competition.

Jensen finishes his peach and takes out his pen and paper. He prefers to take notes the old-fashioned way. He looks up and finds Jared staring at him again. When he catches Jensen looking, he looks away quickly, muscles in his jaw twitching. Jensen stops tapping the pen against his bottom lip. Of course, Jared would not appreciate something he’d probably call stone-age technology.

Well, this is off to a great start.

They actually manage to come up with a pretty decent concept for one afternoon. And that is the real problem. Jared and Jensen are actually a pretty good team. And so ever since their first successful project pitch, they’ve been working together regularly.

They shouldn’t be able to work together so well, because they are as different as night and day. And yet, they keep saving each other.

During their first meeting with a new client, Jensen almost lost the pitch. The clients—a new vegan sneaker company—were bored by his thoroughly researched presentation full of graphs and tables. It was Jared who saved them, jumping in and taking over the room with his exuberance and the clip Jensen had cut from the presentation. The clients loved it. They got the job.

When Jared tried to schmooze a city municipal selection committee the same way he’d won over the dog toy designers, it was Jensen who jumped in because he’d memorized all the data Jared had insisted they skip anyway. The municipal selection committee was very impressed. They got the job.

Jared is a whirlwind disaster of charm and laughter and Jensen is a straight-laced information organizer and they _work_. But that doesn’t mean Jensen has to like it. Especially since he knows Jared does not like him.

Everything had seemed fine during Jensen’s interview. He’d been in the room with the CEO, Mr. Murray—“dude, call me Chad”—Jared Padalecki, head creative designer, and Lisa Berry, HR. Her cool demeanor almost seemed out of place with Chad’s laid back attitude and Jared’s sunshine personality, but Jensen guessed they needed someone to keep them on track.

The interview went really well, and Chad actually listened intently, squinting at Jensen in deep concentration. Jensen shook hands with all of them afterward—couldn’t help but notice how big Jared’s hands were and how firm his handshake, and Jensen should really not notice that at all, just like he really didn’t need to notice the rainbow sticker on Jared’s MacBook—and Lisa called him a week later to tell him he had the job.

Jensen was a little apprehensive about working for a hipster startup where half the staff wore beanies, but the pay was great and he didn’t have an entire corporate ladder above him scrutinizing his every move. And everyone seemed happy for him to start working for One Tree Solutions. At least Jensen thought so until he walked up to the fruit bar on his first day.

“Did you have to hire Ackles?” Jared asked Chad with a whine.

Jensen stopped right behind the ginormous ficus at the end of the buffet table.

“He has the best qualifications. And he knows his shit,” Chad said with slight surprise in his voice.

“There were at least two people whose CVs were just as good,” Jared said mulishly.

“Dude, what’s your problem? We agreed we needed someone with his experience.”

Jensen didn’t hear the rest because behind him someone dropped a box with a huge bang and endless clicking noises, several people reacted with loud exclamations, and then there was a commotion of offers to help and the actual cleaning up of what was a box with a giant marble run. And the marbles went everywhere.

The next thing Jensen caught was Chad saying, “Oh no, he definitely is. So why wouldn’t this work out?”

“Because he’s totally stuck-up,” Jared said, almost despairing.

Jensen stiffened. He wasn’t stuck-up, he was _professional_.

“I'm sure you’ll get him to relax,” Chad said with a laugh in his voice.

“Have you _seen_ him?” Jared asked and Jensen could practically hear the raised eyebrows. “He irons his khakis! He’d never—look, it just, it won’t work. I appreciate your faith in me, but I know a lost cause when I see one.”

“Sorry, buddy.”

Jensen peeked around the ficus and caught Chad clapping Jared on the shoulder. “But it’s too late, he’s already hired. Just... think of it as a challenge.”

“I hate you so much,” Jared muttered, rubbing over his blue beanie.

Chad just laughed mercilessly.

Great. His creative designer thought he was a stuck-up asshole. This was going to go great.

Things haven’t exactly improved from there. Jensen tries not to let it show, but every time Jared gives him a half-smile instead of the full dimpled sunshine he unleashes on the rest of the office like it’s not a lethal weapon, Jensen is reminded that Jared doesn’t like him and actually hadn’t even wanted him hired at the company.

Jensen debated making an effort to convince Jared there was more to him than khakis and statistics, but then he remember the disdain with which Jared had talked about Jensen’s chosen work uniform and he’d stopped.

“You know, we don’t have a dress code here,” Jared had even said one day, pointing at his white beanie as if it wasn’t obvious.

“So?” Jensen asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I guess I was just wondering why you don’t take advantage of that? I mean, you must own a pair of jeans, right?” Jared asked jokingly.

Jensen owned several pairs of jeans actually, he even owned shorts, a fact that would probably make Jared’s head spin. But Jared was being an ass about it, so Jensen didn’t really feel like going into the fact that he’d had such a baby face at twenty-two, he’d dressed more professional as to not look like a baby when he started his first corporate job. He is ten years older now and certainly looks like a grown-up—even though Danny insists he still doesn’t look a day older than twenty-six—but he likes his chosen work uniform.

So it’s bad enough that Jensen is forced to work with Jared regularly on different proposals, now there’s also a corporate retreat. At least it’s in a beautiful national park that Jensen has actually been meaning to check out for a hike. And there are enough people at their company that Jensen should be able to avoid Jared during whatever insane activities Chad has planned.

Chad has rented several minivans for them to drive to Yosemite. With restroom breaks, it takes them about five hours to get out there. Because they left early in the morning, they can’t check into their cabins yet, so the receptionist shows them to a small room where they can stash their luggage, and then it’s time for a big outdoor lunch. Everything tastes great and the sun is shining. The air smells of pine and dry moss, and the birds are chirping. For a while, everything goes like a normal company retreat would and Jensen wonders if he’s fallen into an alternate dimension. Then Chad announces it’s time for the trust trampoline activity and yep, they’re right back on brand.

Jensen trampolines with Danny and Felicia and resolutely ignores Jared’s boisterous laughter from the trampoline next to him and how his beanie comes off and his hair tousles from all the jumping. Afterward, they break up in small groups for a bonding nature meditation and Jensen takes care not to end up in a group with Jared. Jensen’s not the meditating type and neither is Danny, so they have more trouble not laughing when they’re supposed to stare into each other’s eyes until they can see into each other’s souls. At least that’s what the yoga teacher wants them to do. Instead, Jensen works on loosening the muscles in his neck and listens to the birds sing. It’s not the worst way to spend an afternoon.

Dinner is a giant BBQ and it’s delicious. Chad has truly pulled out all the stops. He also circulates a list with the next day’s activities they can choose from and there’s some stuff on there that Jensen definitely wants to do. He’s going to stay away from mud baths and the guided wood bathing, whatever that means, but he’s definitely going on the hike and to the zipline park.

After dinner, Chad gets up and hollers for everyone’s attention. He already did a speech—thankfully short—at lunch, so Jensen’s not sure what he’s announcing now.

“Alright, gather around everyone,” Chad yells. “Now, as you might have noticed, we haven’t done room sharing yet, and, as a really sick team building exercise that I’ve read great things about on this amazeballs lifestyle blog that I follow…”

“Oh no,” Tahmoh says, expressing exactly what Jensen feels.

“We’re going to draw names for cabins!” Chad exclaims to the stunned silence of the room. He chuckles when he sees their apprehensive faces. “Ah, come on guys, it’s not like I’m making you share sleeping bags in the wilderness! We have group cabins, and every cabin has four rooms. You’ll share bathrooms, but everyone gets their own space.”

Relieved laughter floods the room. Jensen still isn’t keen on sharing a bathroom with just anyone, but this is much better than it sounded like at first.

“Now, Danny, if you could do us all the honor and come up to draw the names.”

Danny beams and basically bounces up to the podium.

“Okay, first up is the Elk lodge,” Chad says.

Jensen follows the drawing of the names anxiously, because he does not want to spend the two nights here with someone like Ruth, who is always surrounded by really intense floral perfume; or Rich, who never stops talking; or, worst case scenario, Jared.

With each drawing that doesn’t include Jensen’s or Jared’s name, he gets more nervous.

And finally, Chad announces, “Well, that only leaves two names.” He smiles jovially. “My man Jared here and one of our newest hires, the excellent and very precise Jensen.”

Of course. Worst case scenario. Jensen reaches for his beer. This trip has gone way too smoothly so far, he really should have expected this.

“Now, since two people canceled at the last minute, you’ll get a four-person cabin all to yourselves.”

Well, at least there’s that. Even though sharing with Jared… He can only hope for polite awkwardness. And to not run into Jared after a shower.

After Chad’s announcement, people break into groups to enjoy the rest of their drinks and Jensen ends up with Felicia and her fellow IT buddies Rob and Tricia and they have a pretty good conversation, trading stories about going to college in California and then hanging around for jobs. They lament what they miss about their respective home states and Jensen actually forgets about his room sharing predicament for a while.

When he sees Danny walking by, he tries to catch her by the arm, but she just leans in and whispers a quick “you can thank me tomorrow,” in his ear before she weasels out of his grip, blows him a kiss, and joins Chad at the bar. Jensen wants to strangle her. He wouldn’t put it past her to rig the drawing actually, now that he thinks about it. Though Chad put all the names in the basket, so Jensen’s not sure how she could have pulled it off. Maybe it was just a fluke of incredibly bad luck.

So he downs his drink. Alcohol seems like an adequate response to the situation. Unfortunately, they have an early nature hike planned and most people are going to their cabins. Jared seems in no hurry to disentangle himself from his conversation with Gen, and Jensen doesn’t feel like hunting him down so he keeps talking to Felicia who will, by her own admission, absolutely not take a walk at the ass-crack of dawn.

It’s after eleven when Jared finally walks over to him, face determined. “Jensen, hey. I was thinking of going to bed, get up early tomorrow for the hike.”

Jensen nods. “Yeah, me too.”

That seems to prompt the rest of their colleagues to also go to their cabins.

Jared and Jensen are the last ones to go up to the reception for keys.

“We have a four-person cabin,” Jensen says.

The receptionist looks at him. “But there’s only two of you. You’re the last two of the One Tree Solutions group, right?”

“Well yeah, but there should be another four-person cabin booked. Two people just couldn’t make it,” Jared explains.

“Oh, I know,” the receptionist said. “So we put you in a two-person cabin.” At their confused faces, she continues, “Your boss’s assistant called ahead to change the arrangement.”

“Oh,” Jared says. “Well, I guess he forgot to mention that. But a two-person cabin is obviously enough for us.”

“I should hope so,” the receptionist says with a smile and then hands them the keys to number nine, the Swan Cabin.

“Swans.” Jared holds up the key with a shaky smile.

Jensen forces himself to smile back. Swans. Animals that are often symbolic of love. God, Jensen hopes they won’t get the honeymoon suite or something ridiculously romantic.

They get their luggage from where they stored it after their arrival and trudge outside through the dark night. The air is clear and thousands of stars are lighting up the dark sky brighter and more numerous than anywhere in the city. The path is lit by old fashioned lantern-style lamps. If sharing a cabin with Jared didn’t lie at the end of his walk, Jensen would really enjoy it. They walk past the wooden cabins of different sizes, following the signs. There’s one that branches off from the main path for cabins seven to eleven. Cabin nine is of course at the very end. The cabins are a little smaller, but since they’re only for two people, Jensen guesses that makes sense. As long as he still has his own room, he can make this work.

Jared enters the cabin first but stops a few steps into the doorway. Jensen almost runs into his back.

“Oh no.” Jared’s voice is quiet but perfectly audible.

Jensen’s stomach sinks. These cabins are awfully small….

“Is there only one room?” he asks.

“Worse.” Jared steps to the side.

Visions of a rose petal covered honeymoon suite flash before Jensen’s eyes and he steps up next to Jared with trepidation. When he sees the room, Jensen freezes.

It’s not a honeymoon suite. Not explicitly. But it’s only one room. And the worst part Jared referred to is that there is only one bed. One big, California king with a canopy, giant bull horns over the headboard and plaid bed sheets in the middle of the room. On second thought, it’s definitely a romantic theme.

Jensen closes his eyes, takes a deep breath. “Tell me there’s at least a couch.”

“It’s a love seat,” Jared says with a strangled voice. “Neither of us is short enough to sleep on that.”

Jensen opens his eyes to see that Jared is right. The loveseat looks comfy to sit on but is certainly too short to sleep on for Jensen, never mind Jared and his sasquatch tall body. “Well, it’s going to be a pain, but I’m sure we can switch cabins.”

Jared nods. “So you want to…?”

“Yes.” Jensen locates the phone on the desk, walks over there and calls the front desk.

The woman at the front desk is very nice, very understanding. However, they are fully booked. There is nothing she can do. She can certainly get them a different cabin tomorrow, but for tonight…

Jensen puts the phone down and looks at Jared. Jared’s shoulders are tense and his mouth is pressed into a thin line.

“No other room?” Jared asks.

“No other room,” Jensen says.

“Well,” Jared says, running a hand through his hair. “At least it’s a king.”

Jensen thinks about being that close to Jared, with so little clothing, being able to feel his heat through the blankets… Yeah, this is definitely going terribly now.

Jared goes to the bathroom first. Jensen spends the time untucking the sheets, hooking his phone up to charge, and set an alarm. There’s a bottle of complimentary whiskey on the table and Jensen thinks, why the hell not, and pours himself two fingers. He’s going to need it. When Jared emerges from the bathroom beanie-less, in tight boxers and a dark t-shirt, Jensen grabs his things and hurries to the bathroom. He will not stare at Jared in his underwear and he better be under the blankets when Jensen comes back.

Jensen hurries through his bathroom routine to get the whole going to bed thing over with. Now that they’re both here and he’s seen the outline of Jared’s dick through his boxers, there’s really no point delaying it any longer.

When he comes out of the bathroom, Jared is sitting on top of the bed, not under the covers. The bottle of whiskey is next to him on the nightstand, so Jared apparently had a similar impulse as Jensen. Jensen manages to suppress a sigh, but Jared looks up at him anyway. And then just keeps looking.

Jensen has brought perfectly respectable white and blue checkered pajama pants and one of his sleep shirts. He looks down to see that it’s indeed an entirely normal Pearl Jam shirt and not one of the more embarrassing cute cat shirts his sister insists on gifting him every Christmas. And it’s not like he thought anyone would see him in his sleepwear, same as Jared who’s wearing a Chicago Bulls shirt and dark boxers, which Jensen is perfectly capable of not staring at. Even though the boxers are really tight and the one quick look he got at it almost made him salivate. But Jensen can absolutely not sink to his knees in front of Jared and just blow him.

And Jared’s still staring at him.

“What?”

Jared swallows. “You like Pearl Jam.”

“So?” Jensen asks.

Jared smiles tentatively. “So do I.”

“And you thought, what, I listen to NPR?”

“What? No.” Jared shakes his head. “I just didn’t know. Because I don’t really know a lot of things about you.” He shrugs dismissively.

“Yeah, because you think I’m boring.” Jensen tries to say it lightly, because he’s gotten over Jared not liking him long ago. He _has_.

“What?” Jared asks again, like a broken record. “I don’t think you’re boring, why would you even think that?”

“You said so,” Jensen snaps back, and doesn’t realize his mistake until Jared asks, “when?”

Because technically, Jensen was not part of that conversation when Jared told Chad not to hire Jensen.

“I don’t remember,” Jensen lies. “And it’s fine, I can deal with that. Just don’t pretend you’re interested now that we have to share a cabin.”

“Okay, that’s enough,” Jared says angrily and drags a hand through his hair. “Look, I get that I’m not your kind of people or whatever and that you don’t want to be friends with me and that’s fine, but we work together, so can you at least be civil?”

Jensen stares. He doesn’t understand what Jared is even saying. Sure, Jensen’s not always a ray of joy around Jared, but that’s because Jared doesn’t like _him_.

“You manage to tolerate me when we work together, mostly at least, so maybe we can do that here too.” Jared’s expression becomes determined. “Or you can finally get off your chest just what exactly bothers you so much about me. I mean, that’s what this company retreat is for, right? Bond, trust, get to a basic level of politeness?”

“Jared, I have no idea what the fuck you want from me,” Jensen says exasperated. He throws his clothes over a chair and gets into the bed, as far away from Jared as he can.

Jared blows out a long breath. “Fine. Let’s just sleep then I guess.”

“Fine by me,” Jensen says and turns his bedside lamp off. Inside his chest, his heart is beating like crazy and he clenches his teeth together. He just doesn’t get Jared. And he would have been fine without ever having this nonsensical conversation about their relationship.

Finally, Jared turns his light off too and they’re lying in the dark.

Jensen tries to fall asleep, but even though the bed is very comfortable, he’s acutely aware of Jared’s breathing, of every tiny sound the sheets and pillows make when Jared shifts. To make matters worse, Jensen usually sleeps on his right side, but that would mean facing Jared and he absolutely can’t do that now, even in the dark. He thought he was over Jared not liking him, he really did. Except he isn’t.

Then again, Jared had asked about Pearl Jam. However rude it came across, he had made an effort. And even though what he said afterward didn’t make a lot of sense to Jensen, Jared had wanted to try to initiate some sort of conversation. Maybe they would be able to have a cordial relationship after all.

The bed rustles again when Jared turns once more, shaking the mattress this time.

So Jensen takes a deep breath. “I’m not a huge fan of grunge, but I really like Pearl Jam. They’re a great live band. Second best concert I ever went to.”

In the silence that follows, Jensen closes his eyes and hopes he didn’t make it worse.

“Second best?” Jared eventually asks.

Jensen lets out a sigh of relief. A very quiet sigh of relief. “Yeah,” he says. “Fleetwood Mac’s reunion concert was even better than Eddie Vedder live.”

“Hm.” Jared sounds contemplative. “I mean, I think Eddie Vedder is a fucking legend and I’m not a huge Fleetwood fan, but I accept them as a valid contender.”

Jensen smiles into the darkness. “As you should.”

“Thank you,” Jared says quietly.

“For what?”

“For an olive branch, I guess. At least I hope that’s what it was.”

Jensen rolls on his back and stares up at the canopy. “I just don’t get you. You didn’t want me here, so I just tried to keep our relationship as professional as I could.”

“I mean, I’m not thrilled about sharing a bed with someone who—”

“I don’t mean the bed-sharing, Jared,” Jensen says, exhausted. He’s tired, he wants to sleep, but he can’t with Jared next to him, and now, after four months of working together, now that Jensen can’t escape, Jared wants to rehash why he doesn’t like Jensen in the weirdest possible way. “I mean here, as in here at the company.”

“Jensen, you’re not making any sense.”

“Drop the act, okay? I heard you telling Chad he shouldn’t hire me.”

“What? When did I ever say that?” Jared asks, outraged, as if he really believes it’s not true.

But Jensen remembers like it was just yesterday. His anxiety brain never lets him forget the true highlights of his life. Jared not wanting him at One Tree Solutions one day after getting hired definitely makes the top ten.

Now, the darkness makes it easier to finally say it. “It was my first day. I wanted to check out the fruit bar and I heard you telling Chad that he shouldn’t have hired me. I was standing behind the giant ficus and you didn’t see me. You told him that I was too stuck up, and that I was a lost cause.”

“Oh no,” Jared says, very softly and very desperately.

“Yeah.”

“But, wait.” Next to Jensen, the bed rustles and in the shadows, he can make out Jared sitting up. “You think I was serious?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because… did you even hear the entire conversation?”

“No,” Jensen says. “Just the important parts.”

“Oh my god.” For a moment, it’s really quiet, Jared’s not even breathing anymore. Then he says, “I’m going to tell you what you missed, and if it makes you uncomfortable I will leave and crash in Chad’s bed because it’s his fault that we’re in this situation in the first place.”

“Jared, it’s pitch black out there. What—”

Jared takes a deep breath and then he rushes out the words like they’re burning his tongue. “I didn’t want to hire you because you’re really attractive and I was super into you from the start. And when you were leaving after the interview, I heard you calling your sister and you were so cute with her on the phone, and I was just kind of a goner. And I didn’t want to spend every day at work pining.”

Jensen hears the words, but they don’t make sense. At all. “But... You said it wouldn’t work out. With me.”

“Because I know I’m not your type,” Jared says quietly.

“You have no idea what my type is,” Jensen shoots back automatically, still trying to comb through his memories of the conversation he overheard. “You said it was a lost cause. And Chad…”

“Chad said I should try anyway.” Jared lets out a self-deprecating laugh. “I love him to death and the only reason the company ever took off is because of his endless optimism and confidence that everything will just work out. For some reason, he has the same optimism for my love life, even though that’s kinda misplaced.”

“No,” Jensen says, because Jared liking him does not make sense. “You thought it wouldn't work because I was too stuck up! You thought I was boring!”

“I did not!” Jared actually sounds more offended than Jensen feels. “I mean yes, you looked a little stuck up in your suit and tie during the interview and then the khakis on your first day with the crease and the sports coat, but I never said or thought you were boring. I thought it wouldn’t work because I’m a disaster and you’re probably the most competent and put together guy I’ve ever seen. I knew there was no way in hell you’d ever go out with someone like me. If you’d even consider dating someone in the workplace.”

“I wouldn’t,” Jensen says.

“See.” More rustling and Jensen knows Jared just stabbed a triumphant finger at him.

And this entire thing is way too confusing in the dark. Jensen turns on the bedside lamp.

Owlishly, Jared blinks at him.

“I wouldn’t, before,” Jensen clarifies. “But, I might have reconsidered.”

Jared’s eyes widen. “You might have?”

“Maybe.” Jensen raises a shoulder. “You didn’t seem to like me, so it was never a realistic option. But...”

“But?” Jared prods when Jensen doesn’t continue.

Jensen huffs out a breath. “You’re actually good at what you do, in your own way. Your ideas are ingenious, most of the time, and you have a way of talking to people and making them feel at ease. I really admire that about you. You’re a fucking ray of sunshine, Jared!” Jensen throws his hands up. “But after you said that I was stuck up, and I got to know you, I didn’t really think you’d ever particularly like me, especially since you had to work with me.”

Jared looks at him like he’s insane. “Jensen, you’re amazing. We’ve been doing so much better since you joined One Tree. You’re smart, and competent, and you have an attention to detail and organizational skills that are unbelievable.”

“And you like that?” Jensen asks dubiously. “Even outside of work?”

Jared flails. “Oh my god, Jensen, yes! You’re insanely hot. Everything you do is insanely hot. Competency kink, it’s a thing! I swear, I could watch you put together a powerpoint presentation for hours.”

Jensen blinks. Still can’t quite believe it. “But… I wear _khakis_. With a _crease_.”

“And I want to _rip them off_ ,” Jared deadpans. “With my _teeth_.”

Oh. A bout of heat goes through Jensen and his heartbeat picks up speed.

“But, you—” Jensen gestures at Jared, unable to formulate a clear sentence.

Jared goes up on his knees and takes Jensen’s hands. Jensen stills. Jared’s hands are so big, Jensen’s almost completely disappear in them.

“So yeah, maybe in the beginning I thought you were a little stuck up, but I could see all the small pieces of you coming through over time. I mean, I know you like running and biking, I know you love animals, and I know that you know how to tell a dirty joke. I know how cute and loving you are when you talk to your little sister and how grumpy you get when there’s no more coffee. And I get it if you want to be professional and have a work persona and if a blue wall helps you stay focused, that’s fine.”

“Wait, that was you?” Jensen asks, remembering his conversation with Jared about office cubicles and how his divider had shown up shortly after.

“Yeah, of course. You didn’t know?”

Jensen shakes his head.

Jared huffs. “I thought you disliked me enough not to say thanks.”

“Oh my god, Jared, I do have manners you know. And I never disliked you.”

“Never?” Jared asks, mirth glinting in his eyes.

“I mean, there were moments when I wanted to strangle you, but no, I never really disliked you. I just disliked that you didn’t like me.”

“Wow.” Jared exhales. “We’re really very dumb.”

Jensen snorts. “Speak for yourself, I had a perfectly good reason for my assumptions.”

Jared actually sticks his tongue out, like a five-year-old. Jensen finds it unreasonably adorable.

“So, now what?” Jensen asks.

Jared shrugs. “I mean, I wanted to ask you out from the first moment I saw you, but…” Jared takes a deep breath, his expression turning determined. “I understand if you don’t want to do the workplace romance. I can be professional if that’s what you want. About us anyway,” he adds with a wry smile.

And that’s what seals it for Jensen. They thought they hated each other for four months. They _wasted_ four months. And now Jared’s offering what Jensen didn’t let himself dream of having.

“Yeah, no.”

Jared looks at him in confusion. “What does that mean?”

“It means,” Jensen says, scooting up to kneel in front of Jared and finally getting his hands into his hair, “you can’t threaten to rip my pants off with your teeth and then not follow through.”

For a moment, Jared is completely still, staring at Jensen with his mouth open, then he just explodes into motion, wrapping his arms around Jensen’s back and pulling him in close, pressing his lips to Jensen’s mouth. It only takes Jensen one winded laugh to get with the program and kiss Jared back. Jared tastes like whiskey and toothpaste which should be a ridiculous combination, but Jensen doesn’t care.

They’re still kneeling on the bed, chests touching and Jared keeps kissing him but draws back in between kisses. “Fuck, you’re so fucking pretty Jensen, your eyes and your goddamn mouth—” Jared drags a thumb along Jensen's bottom lip and Jensen turns his head and gently bites into it.

Jared groans and leans in for another kiss, cradling Jensen’s face in his hands. “And your fucking freckles, I swear to god. Are they…” Jared’s hands slide down Jensen’s back to the hem of his shirt and he tugs it up. Jensen raises his arms, lets Jared undress him, and then Jared basically faceplants into Jensen’s shoulder, kisses and bites at the sensitive skin just behind Jensen’s collar bone. “Fuck, you really do have freckles everywhere.”

“You have a problem,” Jensen pants out and winds his fingers into Jared’s hair. It feels just as soft as it looks.

“Do you have them everywhere?” Jared asks, completely ignoring Jensen’s comment. “Fuck, yes, your entire back is freckled.” Jared’s peering over Jensen’s shoulder now, his hands sliding up and down Jensen’s spine with just the right pressure to make Jensen lean back into them.

“I bet you have freckles on your ass too,” Jared mutters.

“You’re insane,” Jensen says and drags Jared’s head up to kiss him again.

“Well, that’s your fault.” Jared’s hands slide down to Jensen’s ass, dig in as if he could actually feel the freckles there.

Jensen snorts. “How about instead of nonsensical accusations, you take your shirt off?”

Jared’s hands tighten on Jensen’s ass before he rips off his shirt. “Fuck, you’re so hot when you’re bossy.”

The sight of Jared’s naked chest and shoulders distracts Jensen from making a snappy comeback. Instead, he runs his hands over Jared’s shoulders and down his pecs. He’s so entranced, he doesn’t notice Jared’s hand on his neck until Jared pulls him up in another toe-curling kiss.

“Though I also like you speechless,” Jared says, and he sounds ridiculously pleased.

Jensen harrumphs, snakes an arm around Jared’s back, and grips his hip with his other hand to pull him flush against his body, lining their dicks up against each other.

Jared groans and bites at Jensen’s lips. Jensen would be smug about that, but he’s a little busy not coming in his pants when he finally feels just how big Jared’s dick really is. They really need to start getting naked, immediately.

It takes some effort to back away enough to speak because Jared’s kissing Jensen like it’s the only thing that matters in the entire world and it’s addictive. But Jensen can also feel Jared’s dick through two layers of fabric which is making his own dick throb almost painfully and that just won’t do.

“So, I know I’m not wearing khakis right now,” Jensen says breathlessly as he pulls back a little.

Jared’s eyes zero in on Jensen’s lower body. “You know, right now, I’d totally settle for your pajama pants,” Jared says.

Jensen lets himself sink back into the pillows, unfolds his legs to bracket Jared between his spread legs. “Do your worst.”

And Jared just pounces on Jensen.

“Oh god, you’re such a fucking animal,” Jensen sighs happily and reaches for Jared’s hair again while Jared kisses his way down Jensen’s chest.

Jared just hums in agreement and bites into the soft skin of Jensen’s belly. Jensen squirms a little—he’s fit, but he’s not ripped like Jared who has probably at least an eight pack with not a gram of fat on him—but Jared seems happy to drag his mouth along the little bit of pudge on Jensen’s belly, nipping and biting, hands digging lightly into his sides. Jensen knows he’s got a pretty face, but Jared worshipping the part of his body he’s the most insecure about makes something warm bloom in his chest.

Then Jared moves lower and actually does bite into the seam of Jensen’s pj’s. Because of course, Jared was going to follow through. Jensen wants to laugh, but Jared’s mouth is right next to his dick and he can feel Jared’s warm breath through his sleep pants and by now Jensen is so turned on his dick is hard and leaking.

Jared tugs and the first inch goes smoothly, but then he needs to pull up to get the pants over Jensen’s hard dick and they slip out of his mouth again. Jared looks so annoyed, eyes narrowed to thin slits, Jensen can’t help but laugh.

“Oh, you think this is funny?” Jared asks and then sucks Jensen through his pajama pants.

Jensen’s laugh turns into a moan. “I mean,” he manages to get out, “your face was a little funny.”

Jared kind of laughs then too, and it’s so easy. Just like the groove they found for their presentations, they fit together seamlessly. Jared uses his hands and his mouth to get Jensen’s pants off and then his mouth is on Jensen’s dick without any barrier. Jensen needs to close his eyes, because Jared’s mouth is fucking perfect, hot and tight, moving at a torturously slow pace that makes Jensen bow off the mattress. His hands find Jared’s hair again and Jared makes encouraging noises every time Jensen tugs. Finally, Jensen can’t take it anymore.

“Jared, you gotta stop, so fucking close.”

With a groan, Jared makes his way up Jensen’s body, dragging his nose along the midline of his stomach.

“Where?” Jared asks.

“Where what?”

Jared looks at him, pupils blown wide, his irises thin rings of that maddening mix of blue, green and brown.

“Supplies,” Jared says.

Fuck.

“I don’t—don’t you?”

Jared lets out a disbelieving laugh. “You’re the one with the twelve backup plans and prepared for all eventualities!”

“Not for fucking on the company retreat,” Jensen says indignantly.

“Fuck.” Jared leans forward and bites at Jensen’s bottom lip until it’s tingling, presses their bodies together, and grinds his dick against Jensen’s in short, hungry movements.

“What—” It takes Jensen a moment to compute, but then—“Did that just turn you on?” he asks incredulously.

“You don’t know,” Jared says against his mouth, “you have no idea how you look, how many times when you were appalled by my suggestion, I just wanted to kiss you so you’d shut up, wanted to fuck you over the conference table.”

That sends another flash of heat through Jensen. “That, yes, that sounds like a thing we should do.”

Jared’s head jerks up. “You—really?”

Jensen licks his lips. “I mean after hours, obviously, but it’s not like we never stay late…”

Jared’s whole body jerks. “Fuck, Jensen.”

Jensen tries for a smug smile though he’s not sure how well he manages since Jared’s still putting just the right amount of friction on his dick. “Told you, not stuck up.”

“I always knew there was more hiding underneath,” Jared says and reaches down between them and wraps a hand around Jensen’s dick, making him moan. “And I’m gonna find out just how much.”

Jensen’s hips raise up of their own volition pressing into Jared’s hands. Jared starts jerking him off, quick and tight, thumb sliding over the precome gathering at the tip and making the glide a little smoother. As Jensen’s hands roam over Jared’s back, feeling his hard muscles tense in all their glory, Jensen realizes that he still hasn’t gotten his hands on Jared’s dick and that just won’t do.

He pushed Jared’s boxers down and fuck, Jared’s dick looks even better than he thought, long and thick, head already angry red and leaking. Jensen is really salivating now. But Jared is still jerking him off and he knows he’s close, so he licks over his palm and then takes Jared in hand.

“Fuck, Jensen.”

“Next time,” Jensen mutters.

Jared makes a sound like he agrees and raises his head to kiss Jensen again. It’s slick and messy, but Jensen wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. It doesn’t take long then, they’re both too keyed up. Their movements become faster and frantic, mouths pressed against each other and Jared looks at him, his expression so raw and open, Jensen’s orgasm comes out of nowhere, hard and fast, and he shakes apart under Jared’s hungry look, barely manages to keep his hand moving, but Jared’s fucking into his fist with harsh thrusts and comes all over Jensen just moments later.

Jensen falls back onto the bed, his entire body loose and still thrumming with pleasure, and Jared half-collapses on top of him. And really, Jared’s way too heavy and way too sweaty, but instead of pushing him away, Jensen finds himself wrapping an arm around Jared and just nudging him a little until his weight is more evenly distributed.

Slowly, they come down from the high, breathing evening out and sweat cooling on their skin. Jared tugs the blanket over them and Jensen reaches for some tissues on the bedside table to clean up.

“Still room for improvement,” Jensen says eventually, repeating what he said after their first presentation, “but for our first time, not bad.”

Jared snorts. “As long as I don’t have to fill out an evaluation form.”

Jensen laughs and Jared turns into his side and they kiss again, slow and lazy.

When Jared pulls back, his expression is serious. “I’m sorry I said what I said to Chad and that you heard that.”

Jensen takes a deep breath. “I’m sorry I didn’t come talk to you and instead was a passive-aggressive asshole.”

“You weren’t that bad,” Jared says.

Jensen raises a disbelieving eyebrow.

“I still kind of developed a giant crush on you,” Jared says with a sheepish shrug of his shoulder.

Jensen grins. “I’m never saying another bad word about how Chad runs the company. And company retreats are amazing.”

Jared laughs, eyes trained on Jensen’s face, leaving no doubt what he’s talking about when he says, “Yes. Absolutely amazing.”

Jensen rolls his eyes. “Oh god, you would be a total sap.”

Jared nods unapologetically and before Jensen can say anything more, Jared’s kissing him again. “You’re adorable when you’re grumpy.”

“I’m not adorable,” Jensen protests.

Jared smiles. “A-dorable,” he repeats. “I just want to kiss you and ruffle your perfectly ironed shirt every time.”

Jensen feels his cheeks heat, so kisses Jared again to shut him up. They don’t go to sleep for a very long time.

The next morning at breakfast, Jared eats a peach.

Jensen stares at him.

“What?”

“You hate peaches,” Jensen says.

“What? I do not!” Jared protests.

“Yes you do! You told me so.”

“Oh.” Jared’s expression turns sheepish. “It’s not the peaches. It’s you eating the peaches.”

Jensen blinks. “I always thought I had good eating habits.”

“No, that’s not—” Jared drags a hand through his hair and his cheeks redden a little under his tan. “You and peaches, those were also the times I kinda wanted to fuck you over the conference table.”

It takes Jensen a moment, because a flash of heat shoots through him, but then he breaks out laughing. “Oh my God, you’re going to be so easy.”

Jared grins, soft and happy. “Yeah.”

Jensen steals a slice of peach from Jared’s plate and Jared’s eyes darken.

Before Jensen can decide how much he can get away with at the breakfast table, Chad ambles over to them. They had planned on trying not to draw attention to the fact that they spent half the night making out like horny teenagers, but judging by the Cheshire smile on Chad’s face, they’re not being subtle. There’s no doubt that he knows.

“So,” he asks gleefully, “did you find my present?”

“Present?” Jared asks, confused.

“Yeah, I left you guys a bottle of whiskey and stashed a tube of KY under the pillow.”

“Dude!” Jared slaps Chad with one of the fancy cloth napkin.

“You planned this?” Jensen asks, even though he really should not be surprised.

Chad takes a cloth napkin for himself and for a few moments, Jared and Chad duel with the napkins, insulting each other like third-graders. Unsurprisingly, Chad wins. Jensen can’t believe the he’s both kind of in love with Jared and wants to continue working for Chad.

“Oh come on, everybody knows about you two pining after each other, we were just waiting for the right moment to get you together. And I couldn’t have done it by myself.” Chad looks around until he finds Danny and bows in her direction. “Queen of the name draw.”

“Like I said, you can thank me later, Jen,” Danny yells across half the breakfast room.

“Unbelievable,” Jensen mutters.

Jared points at Chad. “We’re gonna have a strong conversation about boundaries, man.”

Chad just raises his eyebrows. “Did you or did you not finally hook up after pining for months?”

“I’m pretty sure asking about your employees’ sex life constitutes sexual harassment,” Jensen informs him.

“Ah, but I’m asking my best friend,” Chad says with a big smile. “Also, you basically hooked up on the company dime, because I personally orchestrated you guys getting a romantic log cabin with only one bed, so suck it up, Ackles. Or better yet, suck—”

Jared throws a muffin at Chad who just laughs but retreats with raised arms. “Just don’t forget about my present.”

And Jensen still thinks that Chad is absolutely insane, and he’s going to have words with Jared about how much exactly he is allowed to tell Chad about their relationship, but that doesn’t mean he’ll scorn his present tonight. Judging by the way Jared’s looking at him, neither is he. Jensen’s never telling Chad, but this is the best company retreat ever.

**Author's Note:**

> You can come find me on tumblr [here](http://ashtraythief.tumblr.com/) and on twitter [here.](https://twitter.com/ashtraythief) My ask box is always open.
> 
> A_biting_smile's art post is [here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24684061), please go and leave her some love!


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